Advocate Mehul Bansal, Jadetimes News
Adv. M. Bansal is an Advocate and a Jadetimes News Reporter covering legal news
Newly appointed European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has been under such fire since launching the new commissioner mandates, a move that many view as sidelining the basics of human rights. Advocates believe that this vices risk undermining the EU's foundational principles about democracy and justice.
During the recent past, many gross violations of human rights have taken place in the EU. Some of these rights are as follows.
1. Right to Non-Discrimination: People suffer from racial and ethnic discrimination and profiling based on gender and sexual orientation. However, most cases are recorded against the most vulnerable groups.
2. Rights of Asylum Seekers: The strict immigration policies of very many countries have led to very major disregard of the rights of asylum seekers and refugees. There are reports about push-backs along borders, as well as the conditions in detention centers.
3. Freedom of Expression: Rising fears among journalists and activists over censorship-related issues. Misinformation laws sometimes may be worded to actually choke free speech and critical discourse.
4. Right to Privacy: Surveillance practices and gathering of information have created an issue concerning violations to the right to privacy-mostly since security issues have become more of a global matter.
5. Women's Rights: Violence against women and unfair treatment of women in the work environment prevail, and calls for better protections and proper legislation are continuous demands.
6. Sexual Minority Group Rights: Violent acts and discrimination against them have increased, but a few nations have strengthened policies targeting the harassment of such groups.
7. Minority Rights: A systemic discrimination issue and under-representation of ethnic and cultural minorities in the body politic and civil society exist.
8. Social Rights: Economic inequalities have also been addressed, as well as health and social service provision, especially after the fallout from the COVID-19 pandemic affecting some of the most vulnerable groups in society.
Critics argue that the new agenda does not reflect strong commitment to human rights, which is an undesirable signal the EU sends on how committed it is towards its fundamental values. Human rights activists have expressed discontent over the manner in which these concerns should have been a matter of paramount importance in the new mandates.
The EU can make several proactive steps addressing these violations:
- Strengthening Legislation: Strengthen and apply what is already in existence, for instance, the Charter of Fundamental Rights to bestow full protection against discrimination and enhance equality.
- Human Rights in Mandates: Include specific human rights objectives in the mandates of the new commissioners, hence, including them in being accountable to make progress regarding gender equity and treatment of asylum seekers.
- Asylum Policies: Developing asylum processes that are fair and humane, and which respect the rights of refugees, including offering them adequate support and access to proper legal services.
- Strengthening the Overseeing Body Mechanisms: The establishment of an independent body for overseeing and reporting human rights abuses in member states, including the procedure followed in making the violation public.
- Freedom of Expression: Making sure that journalists and activists are not harassed, as well as protected from censorship.
-Education and awareness: run campaigns on human rights problems and encourage an active public towards a better-informed citizenry.
-Civil society engagement: partnerships with NGOs and grassroots will give insight into the human rights problem: taking the voice of the marginalized.
-Social policy implementation: designing comprehensive social policies as a method of reducing inequality, ensuring universal access to health care, improving conditions for the vulnerable.
-Strengthening Judicial Recourse: Prudent measures to ensure that victims of violations of human rights receive effective judicial remedies.
-Fostering International Cooperation: Working with international bodies to bring efforts into alignment on global challenges in human rights as enhanced by EU leadership in such advocacy.
With new commissioners already elected but yet to take office, the test for rights-based governance is sounding out and, by extension, all demands for the EU's strict observance of its legal framework are literally reaching a turning point, with all matters of human rights in the EU now being put to the test of this administration.
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